Trump nominates McElroy as judge; 1st nominated by Obama

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — President Donald Trump has nominated Rhode Island Public Defender Mary McElroy to be a judge on the U.S. District Court in Providence.

The White House on Tuesday announced the nomination , which is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

McElroy was first nominated by President Barack Obama in September 2015. Her nomination was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2016, but languished in the full Senate and eventually expired.

Democratic Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse had been pushing for her nomination. Whitehouse said in October that appointing McElroy "would be a sign of considerable good faith" from the Republican president's administration.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the two applauded her nomination, crediting White House Counsel Donald McGahn for "working on behalf of President Trump in a bipartisan, collaborative manner to fill this vacancy."

"He and his office handled this matter professionally and in a manner befitting Rhode Island's traditions of thoughtful judicial nominations," they said.

The two lauded McElroy for her "impressive legal career," as well as for her integrity, professionalism and skill.

"Mary McElroy has impeccable credentials, broad bipartisan support in legal circles, and has already been vetted and unanimously approved on her merits by the Judiciary Committee. We are hopeful she will be confirmed by the full Senate with an overwhelming majority," they wrote.

McElroy has been the state public defender since 2012.

She got her law degree from Suffolk University School of Law and her bachelor's from Providence College.